0utd4t3d
by Nova-Rawr
Summary: robotic advancements come with their pros and cons. a short one-shot for cha & al.


Perks came with being a newer model of android these days. For example, ease of movements and capacity for different emotions reached near human levels. Quicker data sorting in the hard-drive for easier memory and information access. And a simple remote control to tell you when you could move freely, when you could talk and voice a comment of your own will, or when somebody had to allow you to do so and tell you when they didn't want you to. Dave honestly didn't care about how often his voice was switched off, his family to care for were still quite all right people.

The only problem he had with them was the other robot in the house. Not being jealous of him or anything, that wasn't it at all. Most of the family seemed to ignore the poor thing, and at the start of his working around the house, he was stopped from seeing the other. However, things can't be stopped and he was bound to run into him someday, which he did within a month. John was nice, most definitely, and the two managed to connect quickly over being the only non-humans in the house. Well, apart from Mr Flufflebutt, but it's not like that grumpy thing and his scuffed-up mouse toy really counted. Dave quickly noted that the other robot seemed to be an older model.

A much older model. His joints would squeak quietly when he moved, seize a bit, he'd pause and twitch as if he were a bit bugged before carrying on with what he was doing. It made Dave grateful for his technology. Well, besides the one thing he managed to find to envy about John. John didn't have a remote. But Dave would push away that and continue his work day after day, hour after hour, conversing with his new friend when he could manage to run into him.

It was about three months into his stay in the home that he started noticing the way the family's grandmother treated his friend; slow walking making it easier for John to catch up to where she was going, oiling him when the uneasiness of his movements started to become a burden, treating him with care and affection like he was her biological grandson, or something similar. And though Dave felt like it should be rude to watch them during these moments, private family moments that he shouldn't spy on, he could feel something whirring deep in his chest as John would turn to her with a difficult smile and a, 'Thank you Nana.'

Affection? Was that what this was? It might make sense and explain a few things. Such as how, as more days passed, Dave had shuffled closer to John when they sat down to talk. He had started himself on stopping his slightly obnoxious attitude in favour of listening to John's fondly recalling memories. He liked to think of it as re-writing his data files, even if it wasn't in reality, as that title just gave him a sense of pride and willpower. Like he wasn't just a metallic puppet that was controlled with a small electronic box.

Eventually, John started quietening down, stopped helping out around the house as much in favour of trying to take care of 'Nana', who's health had been gradually been declining. Their meetings became less frequent, if at all, and would usually just consist of them sitting together in silence. Not that Dave minded. He would just happily sit and listen in the quiet of the room, only interrupted by an occasional buzz or beep.

It was after Nana left for somewhere as he was told did..._that_ happen. Dave was just doing his jobs one day, and the jobs John seemed to sad and down to do, when he heard mumbles ahead. With the old lady out of the home, it seems the family had decided there was no reason to keep John around. He was old and outdated after all.

_"Easily replaceable."_

But not to Dave. So Dave made it a point after that to stick by John's side, bring him on errands. He wouldn't let him be alone with the other family members just in case. And for a while it worked. Things carried on in a normal-ish manner. But that couldn't last for long, and the family quickly got tired of Dave's behaviour.

So one day, Dave and John were sat together in their room, the younger bot resting on his friend as the other once more found fascination with detaching and reattaching his fingers. It was nice, calming...Until the door was opened. And Dave knew what this would be about. John clicked his finger back into place once more, slowly trying to catch up on what was going on, and Dave pulled his arm back to himself and jumped up quickly to stand in front of him in a protective stance. Nobody was going to t -

Dave's body froze up, eyes scanning around to quickly see what caused it before resting his red gaze down on that thing once more. That damn remote. He was marched away from John, trying desperately to regain control of his limbs but not quite able to. Where was all that so-called 'willpower' now? So all he could do as the father of the family approached John was stand by the wall, try to speak and try to move. Try to warn him.

He could only stand there and watch as the man knelt down beside the sitting robot, poor John obviously still not understanding what was going on with his primitive thought process. Hard-drive struggling with his controlled body to try and move as he reached behind John's neck.

Feel the whirring deep in his chest stop as the soft blue glow in his eyes dulled and flickered out.


End file.
